Washington, United States. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her gold Nobel peace prize medal to US President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House, according to a Guardian report.
Medal presented during White House meeting
Machado, who received the Nobel peace prize last year for her struggle against what the Nobel committee called President Nicolás Maduro’s “brutal, authoritarian state,” met Trump at the White House on Thursday. She told reporters she presented the medal “in recognition [of] his unique commitment [to] our freedom”.
Trump wrote on Truth Social hours later that Machado “presented me with her Nobel peace prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.” A White House photograph showed Trump displaying the gift in a large gold frame, with text beneath the medal reading: “Presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”
Nobel organisers respond
The Nobel organisers responded on X, saying: “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel peace prize laureate cannot.” Earlier this week, Nobel organisers said the award cannot be “shared or transferred” after Machado told Fox News she wished to share it with Trump, adding: “The decision is final and stands for all time.”
Political context in Venezuela
Machado’s movement is widely believed to have won Venezuela’s 2024 election against Maduro. The 58-year-old conservative politician was sidelined after US special forces captured her political rival in the early hours of 3 January.
Opposition supporters had hoped Trump would recognise Machado as Venezuela’s new leader following Maduro’s downfall. Instead, he backed vice-president Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president.
Motives and historical comparison
The medal presentation was described as an attempt to win back Trump’s favour. Machado compared the gesture to the Marquis de Lafayette sending a gold medal featuring George Washington’s image to South American independence figure Simón Bolívar in 1825, calling Lafayette’s gift “a sign of the brotherhood between the people of the US and the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom against tyranny”.
Trump’s decision not to back Machado after removing Maduro reportedly stemmed from deteriorating relations between her and members of Trump’s team, as well as concerns her movement could not control Venezuela’s security situation.
What do you think this exchange could mean for Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s opposition?
